


Fight! - 30 A.B.

by FanFicReader01



Series: The Unknown Below [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Fighting, Injury, M/M, Monsters, Post-Apocalypse, Slice of Life, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-11 07:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20149738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanFicReader01/pseuds/FanFicReader01
Summary: People live in fear of Escapists.





	Fight! - 30 A.B.

**Author's Note:**

> Story 2

Winter gives us the most problems. It’s the most dangerous season of all. As if it isn’t bad enough that most of the Floating Islands are covered in snow and ice throughout the whole year, now _everything_ gets covered. The air is dangerously freezing and everybody on the Mother Ship is commanded to stay inside. Even our Explorers are given a limited time to be outside. Beside the risk of freezing to death or getting stuck in snowstorms, it’s also because of the heightened risk to encounter monstrous Escapists. During winter, we make as less stops possible. We only stop if the Ship needs big maintenance, has missing parts or needs extra fuel to run. There are few occasions of some farmers or civilians wanting to board the ship.

That’s not a stupid decision, especially if you don’t have much on your island. My parents were smart enough to know that, and when I was born they entered the Mother Ship. And this ship is all I’ve ever known. It’s my one and only home. And thanks to decent education and my strong physique and will to fight I’ve become an Protector of the ship.

Today I’m given supervision over the Engineering Rooms. It’s my favourite room of all. Not only because it’s basically the beating heart of this old, rusty ship but also the main whereabout of my partner, Pjotr. He’s one of the main Engineers who regularly checks upon the ship’s engines to see if things need to be fixed or replaced. After I’ve done a quick routine in the main halls, I go downstairs to the warmest rooms on the ship. I’m ahead of my schedule but that’s done on purpose. I hope this way I can win a bit of extra time with my partner. Alone, without my group of other Protectors to spoil the moment.

I can already hear the many tinkering noises before even entering the rooms. The Engineers greet me and once I’m at the core of the rooms, it’s time to greet my partner.

He’s already wit his head into one of the machines. I chuckle when I hear him curse.

“Good m-morning to you t-too,” I sarcastically reveal my presence.

“Sol?!” Pjotr stammers. Unaware he still got his head stuck, he bumps it into the metal above him. I cringe at the sight.

“You’re quite busy already,” I smile once he submerges. Pjotr rolls his eyes before walking over to me and hug me.

“Of course. No rest for Engineers. We have to keep this place rolling and afloat!”

He’s right. The core of this ship is made from scrap metal and other waste. Can’t blame the creators though. The main part of the Mother Ship was built in a time of despair and scarcity of necessary material. Nowadays a big part has been renewed and modernized but still. Anyway, it means that to maintain this ship, thorough check-up routines have to be made on a daily basis. And my partner is part of that routine. His job is something I really look up to and wish more people did so.

“Do you need something?” Pjotr then asks.

“A kiss p-perhaps,” I joke. My partner takes it quite serious and smooches my head. It makes me warm.

“But no, I’m just on p-patrol.”

“Nice. Where are the others, though?”

“Behind. I wanted some time a-alone,” I snigger and tighten our hug.

“Sneaky,” Pjotr smirks. He unties himself from me and shows me his logbook. “Look, the numbers are average. That means not many reparations needed for the rest of this month!” Pjotr shows me a whole list of stats. To me, it doesn’t mean a lot as I understand only half of it. But I’m glad my friend says this is a good sign. It’s time to reveal a surprise.

“You know, if you’re free t-tonight and I’m as well, I was thinking maybe we c-could-,” my proposal gets interrupted by the speakers.

_“Attention everybody, a group of Escapists have made it to the D block of the Mother Ship. They’re luckily not inside yet, but it’s difficult to track them down. We all advice you to stay calm. But stay alert. Especially the Engineers located in the Engine Rooms have to be cautious. A group of Protectors is send to you. Use the Protocols if inevitable action with these Escapists arises.”_

Shit.

It’s been months since Escapists have pestered the Ship. I wonder if it has something to do with the season. They always seem to be more active during winter. Loud banging against a door makes everyone in the room highly alerted. I tell Pjotr to stay close to me. He has a wrench in his hand as possible weapon. His hand is unsteady. He’s trembling. Poor guy.

“Y-you have seen them, right?” Pjotr stammers.

I nod. “Y-yeah. Ugly c-creatures. Barely human a-anymore. _If_ they were humans t-to start with.” Honestly nobody knows anything about these critters, except that they’re a threat to Humanity.

With stretched arms, I keep my partner behind me. Those months back, I was on the main deck with some of my men when apparently out of nowhere, three Escapists had jumped onto the Ship. They must’ve hidden on the islands above us and then dropped down.

A door now gets barged open and the first monster reveals itself to us. Yep, inhuman indeed. Pjotr shrieks and he’s not the only one of my group of Engineers to do so. I don’t blame them. I remember these Escapists to be tough folk. Even for a small unit of three.

Black smoke emits from the monster’s sharp teeth and other parts of its body. Claws scrap over the metal, making my ears painfully ring.

“Everybody, stand s-strong!” The Protocols tell us to not engage in fights. Only defence, unless we’re really driven into a corner. This seems like such situation. There’s no other exit available at the moment. I hope those my backup shows up soon. Why did I go alone again? Ah right, a selfish motive.

I take out my electric baton. I have to aim for the Escapist’s core. A black coal-like stone. Luckily, it’s centred in their chest. With enough agility, it’s easy to reach. The first monster quickly approaches. The first attack is on the creature. I go in defence mode. I use my baton to counter its fist.

“S-stay back, everybody!” I command the Engineers behind me.

Fuck, these monsters are stealthy as fuck. My eyes are fixed on this humanoid beast. Maybe I can read its moves this way. The next punch is on me. I manage to hit the thing in its flank, making it crash against the wall. I take no hesitation crushing its skull with my boot. With the baton, I reach for its chest. The electrocution goes well and the body remains limb on the floor. But I’m not done yet.

Quickly, three other Escapists appear. This will be nasty.

“Can’t we help?” Pjotr exclaims.

“You have to r-reach for the c-core. That blackish s-stone,” I point out. I know I can’t stop Pjotr once he’s decided on something. If this weren’t the Engineering Rooms, I would tell everybody to lure the Escapists deeper, but I can’t do that now. We can’t risk damage to the machinery here. We’ll have to fight in this narrower space.

Not wanting to give the Escapists the first move, I storm forward. A more hesitating crew behind me kick in after me. I manage to tackle the first monster and Pjotr frantically joins me, kicking the monster with his wrench. Fear and disgust is visible on my partner’s face. Yeah, after this is over I definitely want to have some fancy dinner and forget this moment.

While I’m busy fighting off the second Escapist with Pjotr, I see the third monster has made its way to the other, more frightened Engineers. Then gunshots are heard. The Protectors! Four others have come to our rescue. I curse when I suddenly feel sharp teeth in my left arm. Shit.

“Solomon!” Pjotr screams.

“I’m fine,” I hiss but the bleeding tells otherwise. Another gunshot. An efficient one at that. The core of the Escapist that’s holding onto me, explodes, covering us in the monster’s black blood.

When I look up to the man who saved us, I see it’s one of the rookies: Moritz. I nod at him in acknowledgement.

“Boss, you need a doctor!” the blond rookie exclaims. Pjotr joins in. I try to brush it off, but feel the stinging pain spread to my upper arm.

“M-maybe I should. Were t-those all Escapists?”

Moritz gives a quick nod. “We tried to be here as soon as possible. Why did you leave your base earlier?”

“I was done with my r-routine. And-, I won’t d-do it again,” I grunt. I know most Protectors know about my relationship with Pjotr, but I don’t like bringing it up like that.

The other team members check up on the Engineers. Luckily, none of them got severely hurt. Only a few bruises. I’m the only one with a bigger injury. Cruel as it is, everybody has to continue their work.

“I’ll see you during my break,” Pjotr says before I’m escorted to the medical deck by Moritz.

“That was reckless, boss,” he says as we walk into the waiting room.

“S-so much for s-seeing my partner,” I eventually confess. I wonder if my men understands.

“You know we can’t let our feelings or relations control our actions,” Moritz remarks.

“Then you c-could’ve let me be bitten,” I snort.

“I’m ordered to protect _everyone_ on this Ship,” Moritz simply argues. Protocols, he follows them more than I do.

“When you grow o-older, you’ll u-understand more nuisance,” I growl annoyed. Then I chuckle. Despite being a rookie, Moritz is five years older than me. The rookie shakes his head and leaves me to the doctor who quickly comes outside her room.

“That doesn’t look good, Solomon,” she immediately says.

“No shit, doc.”

“Now, now, tone down that attitude else I might chop off your arm,” the doc chuckles. It’s not the first time I ended up here due to some reckless acts. I’m actually surprised Captain Alex still had me promoted as team leader.

\--

Once my wound is stitched up, I go outside and find my partner in the waiting room. He looks relieved.

“Everything alright?”

“I’m fine. I should be going t-to work again,” I reply. “What about you, though?”

“That was… clearly an experience,” Pjotr lowers his eyes. Then uncontrollable tears come up, streaming down his pretty face. I brush them away with a rough thumb.

“J-just, what are those monsters?” he snivels.

I pull Pjotr in a strong embrace. His tears run down onto my shoulder. I don’t mind.

“We don’t know. T-they’re monsters from Oblivion,” I whisper.

“Do we always have to live in fear for them?” Pjotr’s words come in shaky breaths. I wish I could reassure him, tell him everything will be alright. But the tragic thing is, I don’t know jack shit about these Escapists and how to counter them. I can only fight them off and hope they won’t take more lives. Hope they won’t take Pjotr.

“Y-you know before the sudden a-attack, I wanted to tell you something.”

“Yeah?””

“I w-wanted to take you out for d-dinner. In the upper class,” I smile. We part and Pjotr looks cheerful again.

“You got enough points for that?!” he exclaims in disbelief. I smirk.

“Yup. S-spared enough for t-two dinners. I d-don’t have other wishes t-to use those points on a-anyway.”

“That’s amazing! I don’t know how I can repay you for that.”

“You don’t have to. You’re my lover after all.”


End file.
